There are Over 75,000 LGBT DREAMers; 36,000 Have Participated in DACA

Los Angeles – The Williams Institute estimates that there are over 75,000 LGBT DREAMers in the U.S. and over 36,000 have participated in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), including 24,000 who renewed in the program. DACA allowed undocumented immigrants who entered the United States before the age of 16, and met other requirements, temporary work authorization and protection from deportation for a renewable two-year period.

In LGBT DREAMers and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Dr. Kerith Conron and Policy Analyst Taylor N.T. Brown, provide information on LGBT people involved with the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act and those enrolled in DACA. The vast majority of these LGBT DACA participants live in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Florida.

“Policies related to immigration and migration impact LGBT people – including those who are foreign-born, as well as their US-born partners and children,” said Dr. Kerith Conron. “DACA allows many younger LGBT immigrants to pursue education, to earn a living, and to contribute to the US economy.”

DACA participants report, on average, a 45 percent increase in hourly wages, from under $12 per hour pre- DACA enrollment to over $17 per hour afterwards. Many also report getting a job with improved working conditions after enrolling in DACA. The majority (92 percent) of DACA participants report pursuing educational opportunities that they would not have been able to access prior to participation in DACA.